Protective effect of Morinda citrifolia L. (fruit extract) on methotrexate-induced toxicities—hematological and biochemical studies

Figures & data

Table 1. Design of treatment protocol

Groups	Treatment (n = 6)
Group I (control)	Vehicle control (saline)
Group II	1 mg/kg/bw of methotrexate in saline (ip) twice weekly for 30 days
Group III	5 mg/kg/bw of concentrated Noni extract orally for 30 days
Group IV	5 mg/kg/bw of concentrated Noni extract orally + 1 mg/kg/bw of methotrexate in saline (ip) twice weekly for 30 days simultaneously

Table 2. Effect of methotrexate and Morinda citrifolia L. fruit extract on complete blood count

Parameters	Group I control	Group II MTX (1 mg/kg/bw)	Group III Noni (5 mg/kg/bw)	Group IV Noni (5 mg/kg/bw) + MTX (1 mg/kg/bw)	ANOVA p-value
Hemoglobin (mg/dl)	11.7 ± 1.4	11.35 ± 1.1^a^NS	11.03 ± 0.6^b^NS	11.33 ± 1.3^c^NS	0.03
RBC (million/mm^3)	7.7 ± 1.4	6.17 ± 0.7^a^NS	7.5 ± 0.2^b^NS	7.15 ± 0.3^c^NS	0.013
WBC (per mm^3)	9,583.3 ± 69	8,483.3 ± 20^a***	10,300 ± 34^b***	9,083.3 ± 50^c***	0.141
Platelets (×10^3 per mm^3)	1,229.1 ± 48	924 ± 14^a***	1,233.5 ± 34^b^NS	1,231.33 ± 52^c***	0.001
Neutrophils (%)	25.8 ± 26	17.7 ± 7.5^a^NS	21.83 ± 11^b^NS	15 ± 6^c^NS	0.638
Eosinophils (%)	69.5 ± 27	75.3 ± 17^a^NS	68 ± 1 0^b^NS	84.5 ± 5.9^c^NS	0.526

Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD for six rats in a group. Statistical significance were tested with ANOVA and complemented with student’s t-test; values carrying different superscripts are significantly different. NS: non-significant. One-way analysis revealed hemoglobin, RBC, and platelets show significance with p < 0.05, whereas p-values of WBC, neutrophils, and eosinophils are non-significant.

Comparisons are expressed as:

^a Group I and Group II.

^b Group I and Group III.

^c Group II and Group IV.

Statistical significance represented as:

* p < 0.05.

** p < 0.01.

*** p < 0.001.

Table 3. Effect of methotrexate and Morinda citrifolia L. fruit extract treatment on serum biochemical parameters of rats

Serological parameters	Group I control	Group II MTX (1 mg/kg/bw	Group III Noni (5 mg/kg/bw)	Group IV Noni (5 mg/kg/bw) + MTX (1 mg/kg/bw)	ANOVA p-values
Glucose (mg/dl)	115.9 ± 3.6	82.55 ± 8.13^a***	114.94 ± 2.6^b^NS	92.39 ± 1.3^c*	0.001
Urea (mg/dl)	32.7 ± 1.3	46.97 ± 2.6^a***	34.56 ± 0.9^b*	40.83 ± 2.6^c**	0.001
Uric acid (mg/dl)	3.93 ± 0.3	4.81 ± 0.4^a*	3.56 ± 0.6^b^NS	4.10 ± 0.5^c*	0.029
Total bilirubin (mg/dl)	0.43 ± 0.020	0.55 ± 0.018 ^a***	0.43 ± 0.010^b^NS	0.44 ± 0.030^c***	0.001
Creatinine (mg/dl)	1.54 ± 0.01	2.56 ± 0.01^a***	1.66 ± 0.03 ^b***	1.67 ± 0.03^c***	0.001
Protein (g/dl)	8.50 ± 2.17	7.40 ± 2.6^a***	8.84 ± 2.8^b*	7.56 ± 1.8^c^NS	0.001
Serum lipid peroxides (U/ml)	65.25 ± 1.9	108.04 ± 4.4^a***	66.65 ± 0.9^c^NS	75.23 ± 4^c***	0.001

Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD for six rats in a group. Statistical significance were tested with ANOVA and complemented with Student’s t-test; values carrying different superscripts are significantly different. NS: non significant. Oneway analysis revealed that all the serological parameters are significant with p < 0.05.

Comparisons are expressed as:

^a Group I and Group II.

^b Group I and Group III.

^c Group II and Group IV.

Statistical significance represented as:

* p < 0.05.

** p < 0.01.

*** p < 0.001.

Figure 1. Effect of methoterexate and Morinda citrifolia L. fruit extract on levels of serum cholesterol.

Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD for six rats in a group. Statistical significance were tested with ANOVA and complemented with Student’s t-test; values carrying different superscripts are significantly different. Comparisons are expressed as “a” Group I and Group II, “b” Group I and Group III, “c” Group II and Group IV. Statistical significance represented as: *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001.